A holding call backed them up, but Driskel did the rest, taking the ball in untouched from 13 yards out to put the Gators ahead 18-7. On a night he scored three touchdowns on the same play by using sheer athleticism, Driskel tried to deflect as much credit as possible.

“Holes were opening up because they were keying in on [running back Mike] Gillislee, and we were getting great perimeter blocking. I kind of just walked in on some of them,” he said.

After the teams traded punts, Bostic blasted through the line of scrimmage to sack and strip Rodgers, and Florida opened the fourth quarter with a field goal to make it 21-7. But Vanderbilt wouldn’t lay down, answering with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a touchdown run by running back Zac Stacy. It was the first fourth-quarter points allowed by UF this season, but the score could have been prevented as safety De’Ante Saunders picked off Rodgers on the drive but it was called back because of a defensive holding penalty.

“We’ve got to coach better and play better in those situations, and that’s what we plan on doing,” Muschamp said. “I’m very pleased with the win but also very cautiously optimistic about how we played [Saturday].”

The optimism has to come from the play of Driskel and the defense. Florida allowed just two touchdowns in six red-zone trips, including a crucial stop to force a field goal with 2:35 remaining.

Instead of trying an onside kick, Vanderbilt squibbed it, and Driskel took the first play 70 yards down the right sideline for the clinching score.

“We kept running really the same play. They didn’t really make adjustments, so we kept going to it,” Driskel said, adding that he is hoping people keep underestimating his speed. “Sometimes it seems they don’t take as good of angles on me. Hopefully, they keep doing the same thing.”